Railroad-scales



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. W. BALLARD & H. L. FISHER.

. RAILROAD SCALES.

No. 434,056. Patented-Aug. 12, 1890.

@29PM/woes I l wumtow/ Jmes WBaZZar/mf HaryL .Fisher l I @3513 7h90()@wom/m130 UNITED lSTATES PATENT GEEICE.

JAMES w. BALLARD AND HARVEY L. FISHER, OE TOLEDO, IOWA.

RAILROAD-SCALES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,056, dated August12, 1890.

Application filed December 20, 1889. Serial No. 334,348. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that we, JAMES W. BALLARD and HARVEY L. FISHER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Tama and Stateof Iowa, have invented new and useful Railroad-Scales, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in railroad-scales, and hasspecial reference to the devices for which Letters Patent No. 398,824were granted to us March 5, 1889.

The object of our present invention is to provide improved means foroperating the rock-shafts, whereby the platform or' trackrails of thescales may be more easily and positively raised and lowered; and itconsists in certain novel features hereinafterdescribed Vand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aside view, with apart brokenaway, of a railroad-scale provided with our improved devices. Fig. 2 isa cross-section of the same on the line a: of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is anenlarged side view of the rack-bars and their connections. Fig. 4 is anenlarged view of the brake, showing the manner of Operating the same.Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view.

In our improved scale the base-beams A A are of the usual constructionvand the rockshafts B are supported in suitable bearings E on the saidbeams in the manner shown in our former Letters Patent above referredto. The lower members C of the hinged levers in our present device aremade somewhat heavier and wider than in our former patented device andare provided with the inclined shoulders D, which are adapted to engagethe upper edges of the bearings E, in which the rock shafts arejournaled, so as to prevent the rock-shafts being carried too far to oneside or the other, and also to furnish a firm and strong support for theupper members of the lever. Said upper members, which are designated E2,are mounted at their upper ends in bearings B2 upon the under side ofthel platform P2, and they are provided with the curved pins 133,extending through lugs L3 upon the lower members and having springs S3coiled thereon in the manner and for the purposes set forth in ourprevious patent, to which reference has been made above. These features,however, are not claimed as a part of the present invention.

The rock-shafts are provided near one end with the crank-arms F, whichproject upward from the said shafts, as shown, the lower crank-armsemployed in our former device being dispensed with. The upper ends ofthe crank-arms are connected by the pitmen Gr, which have their endspivoted to the upper ends of the crank-arms, and if the crankarms shouldbe of such a number as to require it intermediate points of the pitmenmay be pivoted thereto. 'lheinnermostcrankarms F have the sliding barsII pivoted to their upper ends, and these bars have their inner endsextended past each other and pro- .vided on their opposing faces withrack-teeth I, as clearly shown. f

Below the platform, at the` center of the scales, we erect the pair ofstandards J, in which a shaft K is journaled, and between whichstandards the ends of the bars I-I are inserted. A pinion L is securedon the shaft K between the standards J, and this pinion is engaged' bythe rack-teethI on the endsof the bars H, so that when the said shaft Kis rotated thebars will be simultaneously moved longitudinally and therock-shafts operated to raiseor lower the platform. Rollers M arearranged between the standards J, above and below the bars II, and bearon thersaid bars so as to hold them to the pinion and at the same timereduce the wear of the parts to a minimum.

Atransverse shaftN is arranged on thebeams A below the weighing-platformand parallel with the shaft K, and is geared to the said shaft K bymeans of a sprocket-pinion O on the shaft N, asprocket-wheel P on theend of the shaft K, and a sprocket-chain Q, connecting the said wheeland pinion. The end of the shaft N projects beyond the side of theplatform and under the casing for the scale-beam,and a pinion R issecured on said shaft. A shaft S is mounted transversely in the casingfor the scale-beam, and is connected with the pinion R by a chain T,passing over the said pinion R, and a suitable pinion on the shaft S.The end of the shaft S projects beyond the side of the casing, and theoperating-wheel U` is secured on the said end of the shaft. A

IDO

brake-lever V is pivotally mounted below the said operating-wheel, andit is provided lat one end With a shoe W, adapted to bear against thesaid wheel, and its other end is connected with the sliding bars Il by achain X, as shown.

Vhen it is desired to weigh a car, the operating-wheel U is rotated soas to impart motion to the transverse shaft N and the wheel P, so thatthe pinion K, meshing with the rack-teeth I, will be rotated, andthereby draw the bars H outward, consequently rotating the rock-shaftsB, so that the hinged levers will be released from their bearings on theunder side of the platform, so that the platform will be lowered ontoits pivots and the scales operated in the usual manner to weigh the car.As the rackbars are drawn inward, the chain X will be caused to pull theouter end of the lever V downward, thereby throwing the brake-shoe YV upagainst the wheel U and causing it to bind on the said wheel, so as toprevent movement of the same, and consequently hold the hinged levers intheir bent positions and prevent them aceidentally engaging theirbearings before the car is weighed, and so as also to prevent turningthe wheel too far either way.

Our improved device is very simple and can be easily operated. It willbe observed that in our present devices We are enabled to dispense withthe lower crank-arms and connecting-rods employed in our former device,and are thereby enabled to bring all the parts of the lifting mechanismabove the lower timbers of the scale out of the way of any water or icethat may accumulate in the bottom of the pit of the scale and tend tointerfere with the successful operation of the scale.

By using the gearing shown in the annexed drawings and hereinbeforedescribed we are enable to raise and lower the platform more easily andpositively than by the use of the hand-lever shown in our former patent,and thereby effect a saving of labor and produce a machine which can beoperated with certainty.

The brake, it will be observed, is automatic in its operation, so thatthere will be no liability of the platform rising before the car hasbeen weighed.

Having thus described our invention; what we claim, and' desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In scales of the character described, the combination, with suitablebearings, of the hinged levers having their lower members provided withthe inclined shoulders D to abut against the bearings and limit themovenient of said levers, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

2. The combination of thc standards J, the rollers M between saidstandards, the sliding bars moving on said rollers and provided withrack-teeth in their opposing sides, the

pinion engaging said teeth, mechanism forv rotating said pinion, therock-shafts, and con nections between the rock-shafts and the slidingbars, as set forth.

3. The combination of the rock-shafts, the sliding bars connectingtherewith, the transverse shaft N, the pinion K, adapted to operate thesliding bars, gearing between said pinion and the shaft N, thedriving-,wheel gearing between said wheel and the shaft N, and thebrake-lever arranged below the driving-wheel and adapted to bear thereonand connected with the sliding bars, as set forth.

4. The combination of the rock-shafts, the sliding bars connectedtherewith, the operating-wheel U, gearing between said Wheel and thesliding bars, the brake-lever pivoted below the wheel U and having ashoe at one end adapted to bear against the said Wheel, andthe chainconnecting the opposite end of the lever with the sliding bars, as setforth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto afXedour signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES W. BALLARD. HARVEY L. FISHER. Vitnesses:

JOHN ScoTT, W. W. SoUsTnn.

